What is a Pott’s fracture?
Pott’s fracture, also known as a bimalleolar ankle fracture, is a type of ankle fracture that involves the tibia and fibula bones. It is typically caused by a twisting injury or direct trauma to the ankle.
In a Pott’s fracture, both the medial malleolus (the bony protrusion on the inner side of the ankle) and the lateral malleolus (the bony protrusion on the outer side of the ankle) are fractured. This can cause significant pain, swelling and difficulty bearing weight on the affected foot.
What are the common symptoms of a Pott’s fracture?
Symptoms often includes severe pain, swelling, bruising, and tenderness around the ankle.
There may also be difficulty bearing weight on the affected leg, deformity or misalignment of the ankle and limited range of motion.
Some may also experience a popping or cracking sound at the time of injury.
Here are the key factors contributing to Pott’s fracture
Pott’s fracture can result from various incidents, including falls, missteps or trauma during activities such as sports or accidents.
- Mechanism of Injury:
- Pott’s fracture typically occurs when there is a forceful external rotation of the foot, often combined with other forces such as axial loading (compression) or eversion (outward twisting). This mechanism can lead to various fractures and dislocations around the ankle.
- External Rotation Force:
- The forceful external rotation of the foot causes the bones of the ankle, particularly the tibia and fibula, to undergo significant stress. The injury is often associated with a twisting or rotational component.
- Axial Loading:
- In some cases, axial loading (compression) of the ankle joint may contribute to Pott’s fracture. This occurs when there is a downward force applied to the foot, causing the bones to compress.
- Eversion Force:
- Eversion of the foot involves twisting the foot outward. When combined with external rotation, this force can contribute to the characteristic fractures seen in Pott’s injury.
- Ankle Ligament Involvement:
- Pott’s fracture is often associated with damage to the ligaments around the ankle. Ligaments play a crucial role in stabilizing the joint and their injury can contribute to the overall instability of the ankle.
- Fracture Patterns:
- Pott’s fracture may involve fractures of the medial malleolus (inner ankle bone), lateral malleolus (outer ankle bone) or both. Fractures may also extend into the tibia and fibula at different levels, resulting in bimalleolar or trimalleolar fractures.
Are you suffering from any foot condition? At The Chelsea Clinic, we can help. One of our podiatrist can assist and then recommend what treatments are best to get you back on track. Podiatrist South Kensington
Schedule an appointment here or you may call us at +44 (0) 207 101 4000.
We hope you have a feetastic day!
-The Chelsea Clinic and Team
